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Starting a New Business
There are several excellent online resources that can help you get a new business started. The State of Illinois Business Portal offers a variety of resources for starting and running a business in Illinois. There you can find a Step by Step Guide to Starting a Business which offers a guide that covers all the decisions that need to be made and the forms that need to be filled out when starting a business.
The US Small Business Association is also an excellent resource for people looking to start a business and practicing businesses as well. The Small Business Primer provides tips on all aspects of starting a business.
Sign up for a free counseling session at Skokie Public Library.
A counselor from SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives, will be at Skokie Public every Wednesday. Sign up for a morning session one week or an evening session the following week.
SCORE counselors are successful executives and business owners who can help you on a wide variety of business issues like financing, marketing or importing. They have volunteered their wisdom and experience to help you at no cost.
To sign up choose Skokie as a location on this link.
Skokie Public Library
5215 Oakton
Skokie, IL 60077
847-673-7774
Score Chicago
500 W. Madison, Suite 1250
Chicago, IL 60661
312-353-7724
info@scorechicago.org
Illinois SBDC Duman Microenterprise
On the first Monday of the month from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM, Pam R. Lipton from the Illinois SBDC Duman Microenterprise Center offers a workshop and individual counseling sessions for small business start ups at Skokie Public Library. Those transitioning into small business are welcome along with current small business owners who need to brush up on their skills. This workshop also provides a chance to network with those who share the entrepreneurial spirit.
Following the workshop there will be a limited number of one-on-one counseling sessions with a small business expert. To register for the program or to sign up for an individual counseling session, contact Pam Lipton at 312-673-3429 or pamlipton@jvschicago.org.
Illinois SBDC Duman Microenterprise Center
216 West Jackson Blvd., Suite 700
Chicago, IL 60606
312-673-3429
sbdcdumancenter@jvschicago.org.
Skokie Public Library
5215 Oakton
Skokie, IL 60077
847-673-7774
Illinois Small Business Development Center
The Illinois Small Business Development Center in Evanston offers counseling and workshops covering new business topics.
Illinois Small Business Development Center
at Technology Innovation Center (TIC)
820 Davis Street, Suite 137
Evanston, IL 60201
Voice: 847-866-1800
Fax: 847-866-1808
email: info@sbdc-evanston.org
Books
Skokie Library has a large collection of books on a variety of business topics. The latest management books along with guides to help you run a small business are all available at the Library and can be checked out with a library card. This page contains a selection of some of the newer titles or use the library catalog to browse the complete collection.
Magazines & Newspapers
The Library subscribes to a large selection of periodicals and newspapers including Crain's Chicago Business, Investors Business Daily, The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Inc., and Fortune Small Business. Older articles can be retrieved using Factiva, LexisNexis, or our other subscription databases.
Computers & the Internet
There are many computers throughout the library building with Microsoft Office applications, Internet access, and links to the Library's subscription databases. Call the computer lab at 847.324.3179 to reserve one of the computers.
For help there are two databases Atomic Learning and LearningExpressLibrary.com that contain online tutorials on some of the most popular computer applications. Check these out on the Library Database page.
Free wifi is available throughout the building. Bring your own laptop, or borrow one if you have a Skokie Library card.
There are Internet classes and Tech Talks available at the library too.
Small Business Reference Collection
A special collection of small business titles are available in the Small Business Reference Collection on the 2nd floor of the Library. These books contains legal and business forms, purchasing guides for office equipment, guides for writing business and marketing plans and much more.
Small Rooms for Meetings or Study
There are several small rooms on the second floor that you may use to meet with clients, conduct business, or use as your office away from home. Call the Computer Lab staff at 847.324.3179 to reserve one of these study rooms.
Databases
The Library subscribes to a number of databases that are helpful to a small business owner. These databases go beyond what can be found on the Internet and can assist a business in designing a marketing plan, creating mailing lists, or doing basic research. These databases can be found on the Database page of the Library website and are available at Skokie Public Library or via the Internet with a Skokie Public Library card.
To get a Skokie Public Library card you or your business must reside in Skokie. Contact the library at 847-673-7774 for more information via email
Research Specialists
Librarians can help you with your research requests. For assistance:
- Stop by the Reference Desk on the 2nd floor of the library
- Call a reference librarian at 847-673-3733
- Email askref@skokielibrary.info
- Send a chat message via Ask Skokie
Skokie Public Library
5215 Oakton
Skokie, IL 60077
847-673-7774
askref@skokielibrary.info
One of the best ways to 'get known' in business is to join your local Chamber of Commerce. At Skokie Chamber of Commerce events you can network with other business owners and find business leads. Chamber events can be useful. This is where you'll find local talent, just like yourself, who are there to enjoy the company of fellow business owners. New services and technologies, as well as information and a lot of entertainment abound in a 'Greeters' meeting at any given location.
Skokie Chamber of Commerce
5002 Oakton Street
Skokie, Illinois 60077
847.673.0240
Fax: 847.673.0249
info@skokiechamber.org
Check Out Your Potential Customers
Where can you get a marketing survey for potential customers in your area?
SimplyMap, one of Skokie Public Library's databases can help. With SimplyMap you can generate reports or create thematic maps that can help you understand your potential market.
For instance, if you are starting a day care business in the Northern Suburbs you would probably want to know what areas have the most children and are projected to have the most children into the future. With SimplyMap you can find this data and much more.
Check out your Competition
Where is your competition located?
When opening a business it is helpful to know where your competition is located and also how many competitors you may have. With the SimplyMap and ReferenceUSA databases you can find who are where your competition is.
With ReferenceUSA you can create lists of comparible businesses in various locations around the US (all the day care businesses in the 60077 area code for instance). With SimplyMap and also the GoogleMaps website you can see your competition on a map. This graphical display can sometimes reveal more than a mere list of businesses.
- Sometimes a graphical display of similar businesses can be helpful. SimplyMap and GoogleMaps are two programs that will provide customizable maps of businesses. Also GoogleMaps is a powerful marketing tool and you can register your own business to appear when someone does a search for that type of business in a particular area.
The Village of Skokie provides assistance and information to local businesses. The "Doing Business in Skokie" guide provides information on taxes, zoning, building permits, business licenses and "Doing Business with the Village."
Village of Skokie
5127 Oakton Street
Skokie, IL 60077
847-673-0500
www.skokie.org
Books on Starting a Business
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